Articles & Stories

New welding system brings proven PipeWorx pipe welding processes to portable field applications to improve productivity, uptime and quality.

Miller Electric Mfg. Co. introduces the new PipeWorx FieldPro™ System for onsite pipe welding in the refinery, petrochemical, power generation and HVAC industries. The system comes with traditional Stick, TIG, MIG and Flux-Cored processes, and can run the advanced Regulated Metal Deposition (RMD®) and Pulsed MIG processes with the addition of the FieldPro Smart Feeder. The PipeWorx FieldPro System also brings advanced remote control capabilities to the welder at the joint, eliminating travel to and from the power source, optimizing uptime, simplifying process changeover and helping to improve overall weld quality and productivity. The system simplifies cable management by eliminating all of the communication cables that cause clutter and hassle on the job sites. Controls are labeled in common welder terminology to make it simple and intuitive to use.

The system takes the ease-of-use and advanced welding arc quality of the PipeWorx Welding System, common in fabrication shop environments, and brings these capabilities to the field for the first time. It is constructed to withstand the rigors of field use, including features such as a metal roll cage for the power source, impact-resistant cases for the feeders and remote, and protected circuit boards. The portable power source, remote and feeders make this an extremely powerful pipe welding system.

Full remote control over Stick and TIG welding

The PipeWorx FieldPro System provides Stick and TIG performance optimized for open root pipe welding in the field. The Stick and TIG processes have been programmed to prevent arc strikes outside of the heat–affected zone that leave marks on the pipe, which is a common pipe weld flaw, while TIG starts are designed to prevent damage to the prepared edge of the joint.

What sets this new system apart is the complete remote Stick and TIG control capabilities provided by the new FieldPro Remote. Connected in line with the electrode holder or the TIG torch with standard welding cables, this new remote gives users full control at the weld joint, including process selection, amperage adjustment and Stick electrode selection. The remote automatically sets the polarity based on the process selected and alerts operators if the weld cables are connected incorrectly, which helps to prevent defects associated with welding in the wrong polarity. This can all be accomplished hundreds of feet away from the power source, helping to improve productivity, reducing possible weld defects, and improving safety by minimizing trips back and forth to the power source.

The new PipeWorx FieldPro System is compatible with two wire feeder options: the FieldPro Feeder and the FieldPro Smart Feeder. The FieldPro Feeder allows for conventional MIG and Flux-Cored welding processes, while the FieldPro Smart Feeder allows for the technologies of RMD and Pulsed MIG processes in addition to standard MIG and Flux-Cored processes. RMD, offered here for the first time without a control cable, has proven to improve quality and productivity significantly over more traditional Stick and TIG processes in root passes, while Flux-Cored and Pulsed MIG offer the same advantages on hot and cover passes.

Both feeders connect easily to the weld lead and are operable hundreds of feet from the power source — more than twice the distance as previously possible. This includes full remote control capabilities, such as process selection, material type and wire diameter, gas type, wire feed speed and voltage. Set up and operation is easy; the PipeWorx 350 FieldPro Power Source automatically shifts all controls to the feeder when connected, eliminating confusion and hassle with cords and controls. Having complete control at the point of the weld joint helps ensure quality and productivity, and also increases safety as it limits the amount of time operators spend traveling between the work site and the power source, and with it opportunity for trips, slips and falls.

Weld processes with the PipeWorx FieldPro System are easily saved through memory cards, helping to ensure process and parameter consistency. This same memory card feature also allows for easy electronic upgrades to the system that can be downloaded from MillerWelds.com.

About Miller

Miller Electric Mfg. Co., headquartered in Appleton, Wis., is a leading worldwide manufacturer of Miller brand arc welding products and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW).